


Unfinished Variations-verse epilogue

by kisahawklin



Series: Variations [5]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Homophobia, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-28
Updated: 2011-06-28
Packaged: 2017-12-27 20:11:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/983110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kisahawklin/pseuds/kisahawklin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Variations!John and Rodney on the rocky road to deciding to stay in their final home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unfinished Variations-verse epilogue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [iadorespike](https://archiveofourown.org/users/iadorespike/gifts).



> I was pretty hard on John in my writing at the end of my time in SGA. /o\ If I had completed this, John would've come around. For iadorespike - though I just couldn't get to the end. :(

"Rodney."

Rodney looks up from the screen he's been staring at for over an hour. John is snapping his fingers in Rodney's face, and saying his name like he's said it a few times before.

"What?" Rodney asks, irritated, because he's figured out one of the components of the alternate reality drive's power grid, and he wants to look at it.

"You just looked spaced out," John says. "It was freaking me out."

"That's the way I concentrate," Rodney answers, trying to be annoyed with John for the interruption and failing. There's something inherently likeable about him, even when he's doing something that should be annoying.

"Want to concentrate over lunch?"

"Sure," Rodney says, closing the lid on the laptop and running the power grid idea through his mind ten times fast so he doesn't forget his thought. "No Mer?"

"He and Sheppard took Teyla out for a spin," John says, and it takes Rodney a moment to realize he doesn't mean the Athosian ambassador.

Rodney huffs. "I'm sure that will end well."

~~~~~

"She's got some quirks," Sheppard says. "Her drive pods are a little creaky."

"Well, when you've gone through three hundred and twelve dimensions, I'd like to see how you hold up," Mer says, petting the jumper. _Don't listen to him, Teyla_ , he thinks, knowing she can hear them both perfectly clear. "Besides, I haven't had a lot of time for routine maintenance. Mostly we just hope she'll hang together."

Sheppard looks unimpressed. "Good thing she has."

"Yes," Mer says, bringing up the HUD and looking at the land on this planet. There's a singular massive continent halfway between the equator and the two south foci. "How many people live on the continent?" he asks, following it immediately with, "What kind of crops do you grow?"

"Everything," Sheppard says, bringing up detailed geographical maps with a thought. "Potatoes, corn, tomatoes, peas, carrots, as well as a lot of Pegasus crops. Tava beans, tuttle root, a couple of grains. They're starting an orchard but no fruit yet. McKay's hoping for coffee beans on the northernmost peninsula, but the botanists don't seem too hopeful."

Sheppard is a totally unknown quantity. Mer watches him as he rattles off information about their crops and weather and seasons without a care in the world about Mer's trustworthiness. They brought them straight into Atlantis as well, welcoming them with open arms. Sheppard's arms were more crossed over his chest, but he wasn't openly opposing their request to stay, so Mer's been trying to feel him out, see what his issues are and if the situation is something they all can live with.

"Are there enough crops to be self-sustaining, should anything cut you off from Earth?"

"Yes," Sheppard says, going off again about the trading partners and the council – all stuff Mer's heard from Elizabeth already.

Mer sighs, thinking he's probably not going to be able to get the issue out of this Sheppard before they have to jump, and it's getting exhausting. He really thought this was the place for them.

~~~~~

"So I was wondering why you're not friends with Ronon," John asks. "Most other McKays and Sheppards are friends with Ronon."

"Really?" Rodney asks. Ambassador Dex scares the hell out of him. He's perfectly gracious all the time, but he's ten feet tall and built heavier than most of the marines. "He's one of the diplomats; it's not really my thing."

"Well, that's weird too," John says. "He wasn't a runner? We almost always found him running from the Wraith, or in Atlantis after they'd helped him stop running from the Wraith."

"The Wraith?" Rodney asks. "The things in Teyla's bedtime stories to keep the kids in line?"

John drops his fork. "There are no Wraith? Why didn't you tell us?"

Rodney glances at the dropped fork and back up to John's shocked face. "Tell you we don't have imaginary boogie men? Why would I do that?"

John narrows his eyes, and for a glimmer of a second, he actually looks like Sheppard. "They're not imaginary. They're Atlantis's main enemy in almost all the universes we've been to."

Rodney wants to laugh, but John is deadly serious, so he tamps down on the urge. "Atlantis doesn't have any enemies," Rodney says, and he supposes it's true this week. The diplomatic stuff is tricky to negotiate, but Rodney stays far away from that. Woolsey handles Earth and Elizabeth handles Pegasus, and Rodney just keeps finding ways to deal with whatever power or security issues pop up that week.

"None," John says flatly, and there's another glimpse of the Sheppard he knows. It's weirdly comforting to see - Rodney hadn't realized how the complete disparity between Sheppards was a disturbing bit of cognitive dissonance. "Not the replicators. Or the Genii."

Rodney carefully keeps his face neutral. "The Genii are on the council," he says. "And replicators? In the Pegasus galaxy? We haven't seen any."

John's smile broadens into a grin, and he starts eating his mashed sweet potatoes like he's never seen them before.

~~~~~

~~~~~

~~~~~

"I hate me."

Rodney sighs, from the depths of his soul, and doesn't even look up from his computer. "He's not you. You're you. He's him."

"John Sheppard, that's me."

"John Toth Sheppard, that's not you." Rodney still doesn't look up. The schematics of the puddlejumper are unbelievable. The tidal forces should have ripped her apart years ago.

"His middle name is Toth?"

"Yes," Rodney answers, zeroing in on the alternate reality drive. Something is not connecting there. "It's his mother's maiden name."

"Why do you know that?" Sheppard asks, and Rodney finally looks up, because Sheppard is now close enough to lean over his shoulder and look at the schematics.

"I talked to him. He's nice." Sheppard looks annoyed. It's probably because he thinks Rodney's not paying attention. Which, to be fair, he hadn't been.

"He's not nice," Sheppard says, looking even more peeved. "He's gay."

Rodney rolls his eyes. "They're not mutually exclusive, Colonel." He goes back to the drive and isolates the labyrinthine relays they have set up to keep the crystals from burning out.

"It doesn't bother you?" Sheppard asks, and Rodney finally swings around on the stool and looks him in the eye.

"Why would it bother me, Sheppard?" Rodney is pretty sure he knows what's getting on Sheppard's nerves, but he's not interested in playing psychiatrist.

"You're not gay," Sheppard tries, and really, his capabilities for dodging the question are remarkable.

"I'm also not him." Rodney stares at Sheppard, makes sure he's got John's eyes when he says, "I'm not straight, either."

Sheppard blinks, twice, and looks down for a second before remembering and looking Rodney in the eyes again. "John," Rodney says softly. Sheppard's left eye squinches a little, but impressively, he stops it mid-tic. "Who we are, and who they are, they have no bearing on each other, okay?"

Sheppard nods slightly, still holding Rodney's eyes. "I know that."

Rodney smiles. "I know you do."

Sheppard nods again. "I'll let you work," he says, finally pulling his eyes away as he turns and heads for the door.

"Thought you might," Rodney whispers under his breath.

~~~~~

Rodney meets up with Mer and John for breakfast the next morning. They're holding hands under the table. It's disgustingly cute. "I'm sorry Sheppard's being weird," he says as he sets his tray down, because he is, and they deserve to know they have his support at least.

Mer looks at him appraisingly. "We're used to it," he says, but John takes a sudden interesting in his pancakes and starts shoveling them in. "I'm used it," he corrects.

John shrugs. "Whatever," he says, and stuffs another forkful in his mouth. "'m sparring with Ronon today."

Mer smiles at that, and it is the strangest thing, Rodney thinks, looking at a replica of his face and seeing such joy in it. He hasn't seen near enough of that since they came to the Pegasus galaxy.

"I didn't know Ambassador Dex sparred," Sheppard drawls, setting his tray down next to Rodney.

John looks up at Sheppard's voice, his face and eyes going blank in a micro-second. "You probably never asked him," John says, standing and picking up his tray. "I'll catch up with you in the bay," John says, leaning down to drop a kiss on the top of Mer's head. "Rodney." He tips his head at Rodney and slides his gaze over to Sheppard. "Sheppard."

Sheppard smiles, closed and fake, and with more malice than Rodney would ever have thought Sheppard could muster.

"Is this going to be a problem?" Mer asks after John's out of earshot. 

Sheppard shakes his head. "Nope. No problem."

"Good," Mer says, continuing to stare at Sheppard. "Because if I find out you've hurt John in any way, I'll kick your ass. Don't think I won't do it."

Mer leaves his tray, storming out of the mess. Rodney believes him; maybe he'll ask Mer for some hand to hand training. He's never been able to ask Sheppard, and while there were others he tried (Lorne turned him down nicely; Cadman less so), none had worked out.

"Smooth," Rodney says, picking up Mer's tray and stacking it on his own. "Seriously, Sheppard, go to Heightmeyer already."

~~~~~

John and Mer in the bay with Zelenka and Aiden.

~~~~~

John and Ronon 


End file.
